Navy | The Royal Navy |
Type | Destroyer |
Class | B |
Pennant | H 47 |
Built by | Hawthorn Leslie & Co. (Hebburn-on-Tyne, U.K.) |
Ordered | 4 Mar 1929 |
Laid down | 29 Jul 1929 |
Launched | 29 May 1930 |
Commissioned | 14 Feb 1931 |
Lost | 13 Nov 1939 |
Loss position | 51° 29'N, 1° 30'E |
History | During the night of 12/13 November 1939 the German destroyers Karl Galster, Wilhelm Heidkamp, Hermann Kunne and Hans Ludemann lay a minefield in the South and Edinborough channels. Soon after the minefield had been laid the minelaying cruiser HMS Adventure (Capt. A.R. Halfhide, RN) ran into a mine. Temporally disabled the injured were transferred to the destroyer HMS Basilisk (Cdr. M. Richard, RN) while the destroyer HMS Blanche (Lt.Cdr. R.M. Aubrey, RN) stood by. As the force made its way towards safety HMS Blanche was mined and settled by the stern. The tug Fabia went to the destroyers assistance but as she was towed the destroyer capsized and sank in position 51º29'N, 01º30'E. HMS Blanche lost two crew killed and twelve injured. See this website (offsite link) for a detailed account of the mining of HMS Adventure and HMS Blanche. |
Commands listed for HMS Blanche (H 47)
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Commander | From | To | |
1 | Lt.Cdr. Robert Marriott Aubrey, RN | 27 Jun 1939 | 13 Nov 1939 |
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Notable events involving Blanche include:
25 Oct 1939
HMS H 33 (Lt.Cdr. L.J. Caldwell, RN) shifted from Dover to Sheerness. She was escorted by HMS Blanche (Lt.Cdr. R.N. Aubrey, RN).
HMS H 33 was then taken in hand for refit at the Sheerness Dockyard. (1)
13 Nov 1939
During the night of 12/13 November 1939 the German destroyers Karl Galster, Wilhelm Heidkamp, Hermann Kunne and Hans Ludemann lay a minefield in the South and Edinborough channels. Soon after the minefield had been laid the mine laying cruiser HMS Adventure (Capt. A. R. Halfhide, RN) ran into a mine. Temporally disabled the injured were transferred to the destroyer HMS Basilisk (Cdr. M. Richard, RN) while the destroyer HMS Blanche (Lt.Cdr. R.N. Aubrey, RN) stood by. As the force made its way towards safety HMS Blanche was mined and settled by the stern. The tug Fabia went to the destroyers assistance but as she was towed the destroyer capsized and sank. HMS Blanche lost two crew killed and twelve injured.
See this website (offsite link) for a detailed account of the mining of HMS Adventure and HMS Blanche.
Media links
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Sources
- ADM 173/15709
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.